Reach connection for vehicles.



'W. ST. PETER. REACH CONNECTION FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 31, 1909.

952,380., Patented Mar.15,1910.

J, lllllll'lllllllllnnk llll $0 6 4 I 1 r .33 5g n25 I, 77 7 78 35 3,135.20 V $7 WILLIAM ST. PETER, OF DAMAR, KANSAS.

REACH CONNECTION FOE VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar, 15, 191() Applicationfiled August 31, 1909. Serial No. 515,440.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM ST. PETER, citizen of the United States,residing at Damar, in the county of Books and State of Kansas, haveinvented a new and useful Reach Connection for Vehicles, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to vehicle reaches, and has for its principalobject to provide a novel coupling for reaches whereby the rear truck ofthe vehicle can readily be adjusted to accommodate the vehicle tovarious loads.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the classdescribed which is simple in construction, is easily applied to thehounds, is cheap to manufacture, and is positive in operation.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claimshereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form,proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope ofthe claims, may be re sorted to without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing :-Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my invention inposition. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same without the rear bolster.Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the same, and Fig. at is adetail sectional View showing the coupling in a locked position.

Like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figuresof the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, the rear bolster 4 and hounds 5-5 are of theusual construction. Arranged above and below the front ends of thehounds and extending forward of the said ends, are upper and lowerplates 6 and 7 respectively, which are secured to said hounds by bolts,rivets 8-8 or any other suitable fastening means. Each of these platesis provided with oppositely disposed and outwardly projecting ears 9 and10 respectively. Jaws 11-11 are respectively arranged between the saidplates and are pivoted to each pair of the said ears by means ofsuitable vertical bearing pins 12-12, and are adapted to swing outwardlyin a horizontal plane. These jaws extend beyond the ears, and the inneror engaging sides 13 thereof are formed fiat to lie against the vehiclereach-bar 14. The said inner faces of the jaws are provided withoppositely arranged and rearwardly inclined pins 15 which are preferablydetachable so as to be readily removed when desired. The free ends ofthe jaws are provided with enlarged portions 16-16 in which are provided vertical openings 17-17 employed for the purpose hereinafterdescribed.

The reach bar 14 is provided with longitudinal side plates 18-18 ofmetal, and are held in place by rivets 19-19 or the like. Oppositelyarranged spaced openings 20-20 are formed in the said reach bar andextend rearwardly from the sides in a horizontal plane and atsubstantially the same angle as the pins 15 are to the inner side 13 ofthe jaws. It will thus be seen that when the jaws are positioned asshown in Figs. 1 and 3, the pins 15 are arranged within a pair of theoppositely arranged openings 20. To hold the jaws in this position alocking device is provided which comprises a bracket 21 havingupstanding ears 22-22. This bracket is preferably arranged transverselyon the upper plate 6 and secured thereon by rivets or any other suitablemeans. A plate 28 has one edge bifurcated to form spaced eyes 24-24which are adapted to embrace a bearing pin 25 mounted between the ears22 of the said bracket. A spring 26 is arranged around the said bearingpin and between the bifurcated ends 21 of the plate, one end engagingthe bracket and the other end the plate in order to normally hold thesaid plate against the reach bar let. The free end of the said plate islikewise bifurcated to form spaced eyes 27-27 adapted to receive aU-shaped locking pin 28, the legs 29-29 thereof being spaced apart andadapted to enter theopenings 17-17 of the jaws. A lifting lever 30 ispivoted to the bearing pin 25 and comprises an inwardly extendingportion 31 which is adapted to engage the underside of the plate 23. Thelever extends rearwardly and is bent to form a foot-piece 32. A lockingmember is pivoted to the upper plate 6 by a rivet or othersuitable'ineans 34, and comprises a nose 35 and a finger-piece 36, thesaid nose being adapted to engage the foot-piece 32 and thereby hold theplate and consequently the locking means out of engagement with thejaws, as shown in Fig. 2 0f the drawing.

From the foregoing, it will be readily up parent that whenever it isdesirous of shifting the rear bolster, the lever 30 is depressed bymeans of the foot-piece 32; the locking member is swung aroundby meansof the finger-piece 36 so that the nose 35 is positioned over the saidfoot-piece 32 which will thereby lock the said lever. The upwardmovement of the inwardly extending portion 31 ot' the lever, will raisethe plate 23 against the tension of the spring 2G,-and the said platewill carry with it the U-shaped locking-pin 28. The plate will be raisedsufliciently to disengage the legs 29-29 of the said pin 28 from thejaws .11"11. Thus, the locking-pin is held out of engagement with thesaid aws while the aws are swung outwardly, to permit of the rearbolster be ing moved longitudinally in either direction upon the reachbar. After the bolster has been positioned, the vjaws 11-ll are swungaround so that the pins 1515 will engage one pair of the openings 20 offthe reach bar, and the locking member 33 is disengaged from the lever30. The plate 23 is caused by the spring 26 to be lowered, and the legs2929 of the locking-pin 28 will be positioned within the openings 17 ofthe jaws. By reason of the fact that the spring 26 tends to hold theplate 23 normally against the reach-bar,.and consequently thelocking-pin in the openings of the jaws, all danger of the couplingbecoming loosened by rough travel will be overcome.

\Vhat I claim is 1. A reach coupling for vehicles con1prisingreach-engaging elements carried by the hounds and pivoted thereon toswing horizontally, and means separate from the elements for locking thesaid elements in their engaged position on opposite sides of the reach.

2. A reach-coupling tor vehicles comprising pivoted reach-engaging jawscarried by the hounds, means for lockii'ig the said jaws in theiroperative position, and a device for holding the said locking means outof engagement with the said jaws when disengaging the latter from thereach.

A reach-coupling for vehicles comprising upper and lower plates carriedby the hounds, reach-engaging jaws pivoted to swing horizontally betweenthe plates on opposite sides of the reach bar, and means for locking thesaid jaws in their engaged position.

4. A reach-coupling for vehicles comprising upper and lower platescarried by and extending beyond the front ends of the hounds,horizontally swinging reach-engaging jaws arranged between and pivotedto the extended portions of the plates, and means for locking the saidjaws in their engaged position.

5. A reach-coupling for vehicles comprising upper and lower platescarried by the hounds, horizontally swinging reach engaging "jawsarranged between and pivoted thereto and extending beyond the saidplates, the extended portions of the jaws having flat sides adapted tobear against the reach,

pins projecting from the said flat inner sides of theaws and adapted toengage openings in the reach, and means for locking the said jaws intheir engaged position.

6. A reach-coupling for vehicles comprising upper and lower platescarried by the hounds, reach-engaging jaws pivoted between the plates,and a bracket-supported locking-pin mounted on the upper plate andadapted to normally engage both of the jaws and thereby lock the same intheir ongaged position.

7. A reach-coupling for vehicles comprising upper and lowerplatesearried by the hounds, reach-engaging jaws pivoted between theplates, a bracket secured to the upper plate and provided with abearingpin, a plate hinged to the said bearing-pin and supporting alocking-pin at its free end, and means for normally holding the said pinin engagement with both jaws, and thereby lock the same in theiroperative position.

8. A reach-coupling for vehicles comprising upper and lower platescarried by the hounds, Leach-engaging jaws pivoted between the platesand respectively provided with a vertical opening, a-bracket secured tothe upper plate and provided with a bearing-pin, a plate hinged to thebearing-pin and provided at its free end with spaced eyes, a U-shapedlocking-pin loosely mounted in the said eyes, and a spring mounted onthe bearing-pin and engaging the hinged plate for normally holding thelegs of the locking-pin in the openings of the jaws and thereby lock thejaws in their engaged position.

9. A reach-coupling for vehicles comprising upperand lower platescarried by the hounds, reaclrengaging jaws pivoted between the platesand respectively provided with a vertical opening, a bracket secured tothe upper plate and provided with a bearing-pin, a plate hinged to thebearingpin and provided at its free end with spaced eyes, a U-shapedlocking-pin loosely mounted in the said eyes, a spring mounted on thebearing-pin and engaging the hinged plate tor normally holding the legsof the lockingpin in the openings of the jaws and thereby lock the jawsin their engaged position, a lever fulcrumed on the said bearing-pin andhaving one end engaging the hinged plate and the other end terminatingin a foot piece, and a member mounted on the upper plate of the houndsand adapted to engage the foot-piece of the lever and thereby lock thelocking-pin out of engagement with the aws.

10. A reach-coupling for vehicles, comprising upper and lower platescarried by the hounds, horizontally swinging reach-engaging jawsarranged between and pivoted to the plates at either side of the reach,said jaws being provided with rearwardly inclined pins projecting fromthe sides of the said jaws and adapted to engage in correspondinglyinclined openings in the reach, the extended portions of the jaws beingprovided with openings, and a locking-pin mounted on the upper plate andadapted to be normally seated within the openings of the jaws andthereby lock the same in their reach-engaged position.

11. In a reach-coupling for vehicles, the combination with the hounds,and a reach having longitudinal reinforcing side plates and providedwith a plurality of pairs of rearwardly inclined spaced openingsextending from the said side plates and into the bar, of upper and lowerplates carried by the hounds, reach-engaging jaws pivoted between theplates at either side of the reach, said jaws being provided with flatinner sides, and pins projecting from the said sides and adapted toengage in a pair of the said openings of the reach, and means mounted onthe upper plate for locking the said jaws in their reach-engagedposition.

12. In combination with the hounds, and a reach having a plurality ofspaced openings in its sides, horizontally swinging reachengaging jawscarried by the hounds and having pins adapted to engage in the saidopenings, and means for locking the jaws in their engaged position onopposite sides of the reach.

13. In combination with the hounds, and a reach having a plurality ofspaced openings in its sides, reachengaging jaws mounted on the houndsand having pins adapted to engage in the said openings, and means forlocking the jaws in their engaged position on opposite sides of thereach, and a separate device for holding the locking means out ofengagement with the jaws when adjusting the reach.

14. In combination with the hounds, and a reach having a plurality ofspaced openings, horizontally swinging reach-engaging jaws carried bythe hounds and having pins adapted to engage in the said openings, andmeans for locking both jaws in their engaged position.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoaffixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM ST. PETER.

lVitnesses J. H. MALONE, E. F. CI-IOQ'IJETTL

